


I Come Apart

by vampireswillneverhurtyou101



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Angst, F/M, Hurt, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, abusive!liam, hurt!Niall, hurt!zayn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-04-08
Updated: 2013-04-08
Packaged: 2017-12-07 20:18:51
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 617
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/752639
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vampireswillneverhurtyou101/pseuds/vampireswillneverhurtyou101
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Niall watches as Zayn pulls himself apart for Liam. Niall watches as Zayn falls apart for Liam.</p>
            </blockquote>





	I Come Apart

**Author's Note:**

> One-shot that might end up being continued. Hopefully this isn't terrible. Feedback is welcomed :)

Niall didn't need to walk in on Zayn and Liam fucking to figure it out. He had always known. 

Niall didn't need Zayn begging and spluttering for him to stay to know how much he regretted it. Because he knew. He understood. 

Niall had always known that Zayn loved him; they had been the closest for years and their relationship seemed so easy. They fit together - it was simple. It made sense. But he knew, had always known, that Zayn had never truly shifted his feelings for Liam. Liam held a command over Zayn; he could have the man whimpering at his feet in an instant. Niall had watched it happen for years.

Too many times Niall had walked in on Zayn crumpled up, alone in his apartment. The stench of alcohol in the air and the tracks of tears still fresh on Zayn's cheeks. Too many times Niall had pulled Zayn against his chest and held him as he sobbed; feeling his chest heave against him, as he pressed damp cheeks into his shirt, whimpering and begging Niall to never leave him. Too many times Niall had watched as Zayn fell apart. 

He wondered only too often whether Liam knew, whether he really knew what he was doing to Zayn - doing to his boyfriend. He wondered whether Danielle noticed the lingering touches or the longing gazes and whispers exchanged between them. He wondered if she'd ever seen the flash of a text on Liam's phone from Zayn or glanced over his shoulder to see him tapping out a reply to the other man. He hoped she hadn't. She didn't deserve to know how badly it burnt. She didn't deserve the constant feeling of worthlessness as the one you love lusted after another. 

There were nights, too many nights, where the sound of Liam's name had sent Niall reeling as Zayn bucked desperately into him. He would chew his lip, frantically pushing the pain deeper and deeper and burrowing his face further into the pillow as Zayn slumped down beside him, released and sated. He didn't let Zayn see the tears. He would wait until Zayn had fallen asleep before climbing from their bed and stumbling into the bathroom. Some nights he could hold it together, others he would empty the contents of his stomach and clutch at the bathroom sink until his knuckles turned white, staring at his reflection in the mirror.

He thought of leaving Zayn. Moving on and finding someone else. He thought of starting a new life without him, but then there would be weeks where Liam was away on business and Zayn was his again. They would spend it together; living their life- their relationship- and he'd remember just how much he loved the other man - just how much he needed the other man. And so he stayed.

He watched as Danielle held dainty, slim fingers up, flashing a diamond. He caught sight of Zayn's faltering smile in the corner of his eye as they announced they were engaged, Liam had proposed. Niall watched as Harry and Louis hugged Liam and congratulated Danielle. He watched the exchange of happy smiles and forced his own, all the while watching as Zayn began to fall apart. 

He followed him from the room and cornered him. Turned him, forcing him to face him. He wipes at the eyes, shrink wrapped in tears and holds him. Because he knows. He knows the pain of loving someone. Knows the pain of pulling yourself apart for someone and screaming out for someone to love you back. He knows the pain of being pushed away; pushed into the place of second best. 

He knows just how it all feels.

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [I Come Apart (And You Keep It Together)](https://archiveofourown.org/works/753413) by [vampireswillneverhurtyou101](https://archiveofourown.org/users/vampireswillneverhurtyou101/pseuds/vampireswillneverhurtyou101)




End file.
